U.S. patent number 7,677,343 [Application Number 11/786,037] was granted by the patent office on 2010-03-16 for four-wheeled utility vehicle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Hiroyuki Fujimoto, Haruo Kitai, Toru Minami.
United States Patent |
7,677,343 |
Kitai , et al. |
March 16, 2010 |
Four-wheeled utility vehicle
Abstract
A four-wheeled utility vehicle including an engine unit mounted
in the utility vehicle; and a vehicle body frame including a frame
member that is disposed in the vicinity of the engine unit and is
partially movable relative to the engine unit.
Inventors: |
Kitai; Haruo (Akashi,
JP), Minami; Toru (Kakogawa, JP), Fujimoto;
Hiroyuki (Fukuroi, JP) |
Assignee: |
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki
Kaisha (Kobe-shi, JP)
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Family
ID: |
38603771 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/786,037 |
Filed: |
April 9, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070240927 A1 |
Oct 18, 2007 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 10, 2006 [JP] |
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2006-107847 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
180/89.17;
296/63; 296/37.15; 296/29; 296/205; 296/203.03; 296/203.02;
296/203.01; 280/783; 280/781; 180/89.18; 180/69.24; 180/69.2;
180/312; 180/311; 180/291 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K
5/12 (20130101); B60K 17/04 (20130101); B62D
21/183 (20130101); B62D 23/005 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62D
25/10 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;180/89.17,89.18,208,291,311,312,908 ;280/124.1,781,783
;296/29,63,203.01-203.03,205,37.15 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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SHO. 63-20284 |
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Jan 1988 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Dickson; Paul N
Assistant Examiner: English; James
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Alleman Hall McCoy Russell &
Tuttle LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A four-wheeled utility vehicle comprising: an engine unit
mounted in the utility vehicle; and a vehicle body frame including
a frame member that is disposed in the vicinity of the engine unit
and is partially movable relative to the engine unit; wherein the
vehicle body frame includes a main frame member substantially
forming the vehicle body frame, and a pair of seat support frame
members that are disposed on right and left sides of the engine
unit, each of the seat support frame members being positioned
directly below and configured to support a respective one of a pair
of passenger seats mounted in the utility vehicle; wherein the
engine unit includes an engine body and a belt-drive continuously
variable transmission that is mounted to a side surface of the
engine body, and at least one of the seat support frame members
which is separable from the main frame member is disposed opposite
to the belt-drive continuously variable transmission so that the
seat support frame member interferes with a cover of the
transmission when the cover is moved to be removed; and wherein the
seat support frame member is configured to be movable away from the
engine unit so that the seat support frame member does not
interfere with the cover when the cover is moved to be removed.
2. The four-wheeled utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the seat support frame member which is separable from the main
frame member is removably mounted to the main frame member by a
fastening device.
3. The four-wheeled utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the seat support frame member which is separable from the main
frame member is mounted by a hinge to the main frame member to be
pivotable around the hinge.
4. The four-wheeled utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the seat support frame member includes a pair of right and left
inverted-U shaped frame member portions extending in the
longitudinal direction, lower cross frame member portions extending
in the lateral direction to couple lower parts of the U-shaped
frame member portions, and an upper cross frame member portion
extending in the lateral direction to couple upper parts of the
U-shaped frame member portions.
5. The four-wheeled utility vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a
bottom board is coupled to lower end portions of the U-shaped frame
member portions.
6. The four-wheeled utility vehicle according to claim 5, wherein
the main frame member has an opening at a location under the seat
support frame member, and the bottom board is placed at frame
member portions defining the opening to close the opening.
7. The four-wheeled utility vehicle according to claim 5, wherein
an electric component is mounted on the bottom board.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a four-wheeled utility vehicle
which is configured to travel off-road at a low speed and is
suitably used to carry loads and various objects.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A four-wheeled utility vehicle traveling off-road is typically a
four-wheel-drive vehicle and is equipped with an engine unit
mounted to a vehicle body frame thereof, a passenger seat in the
vicinity of a center of a vehicle body thereof, and a load-carrying
platform at a rear region of the vehicle body (see Japanese
Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Sho. 63-20284). To be
specific, the passenger seat is placed on seat support frame
members provided on the vehicle body to extend substantially
vertically upward from right and left sides of a main frame member
forming a floor at a center section of the vehicle body, and a rear
frame member is mounted behind the passenger seats to support the
load-carrying platform. The engine unit is disposed in a lower
space surrounded by the seat support frame members and the rear
frame member. The engine unit includes a belt-drive continuously
variable transmission (CVT) such as a belt converter on a side
surface of the engine body.
When the engine unit of the four-wheeled utility vehicle is
maintained, an operator cannot easily access the engine unit
because the engine unit is surrounded by the frame members. So, the
operator cannot easily maintain the engine unit. Especially when a
belt of the belt-drive CVT is changed, it is necessary to remove a
cover of the belt-drive CVT from the side of the vehicle body. In
this case, the cover cannot be removed because the cover will be
interfered with by the frame members surrounding the engine unit.
In this situation, maintenance operation of the engine unit must be
carried out after the engine unit has been taken out from the
vehicle body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the above described conditions, and
an object of the present invention is to provide a four-wheeled
utility vehicle whose engine unit can be easily maintained by an
operator.
According to the present invention, there is provided a
four-wheeled utility vehicle comprising an engine unit mounted in
the utility vehicle; and a vehicle body frame including a frame
member that is disposed in the vicinity of the engine unit and is
partially movable relative to the engine unit.
In such a construction, since the frame member disposed in the
vicinity of the engine unit, which is a part of the vehicle body
frame forming a frame of the four-wheeled utility vehicle, is
movable away from the engine unit, it is possible to remove the
frame member which is likely to become an obstacle when the
operator is going to carry out the maintenance operation for the
engine unit. Therefore, the operator can easily carry out the
maintenance operation.
The vehicle body frame may include a main frame member
substantially forming the vehicle body frame, and a pair of seat
support frame members that are disposed on right and left sides of
the engine unit and are configured to support passenger seats. At
least one of the seat support frame members may be separable from
the main frame member and may be configured to be movable away from
the engine unit.
In a construction in which the pair of seat support frame members
are disposed on right and left sides of the engine unit, these seat
support frame members become the obstacle which makes it difficult
for the operator to access the engine unit from the right and from
the left. Accordingly, by moving the seat support frame member
separable from the main frame member away from the engine unit, the
operator can easily carry out the maintenance operation for the
engine unit.
The seat support frame member which is separable from the main
frame member may be removably mounted to the main frame member by a
fastening device.
In such a construction, by merely removing the fastening device
during the maintenance operation of the engine unit, the operator
can easily remove the seat support frame member from the main frame
member. Therefore, the maintenance operation becomes easier to
perform and the vehicle may be constructed in a simple manner and
at a low cost.
The seat support frame member which is separable from the main
frame member may be mounted to the main frame member by a hinge to
be pivotable around the hinge.
In such a construction, the operator can easily move the seat
support frame member away from the engine unit by pivoting the seat
support frame member around the hinge. The operator can move the
seat support frame member in fewer steps and therefore can easily
carry out the maintenance operation.
The engine unit may include an engine body and a belt-drive
continuously variable transmission that is mounted to a side
surface of the engine body, and the seat support frame member which
is separable from the main frame member may be disposed opposite to
the belt-drive continuously variable transmission.
In such a construction, since the operator can remove the frame
member which is disposed opposite to the belt-drive continuously
variable transmission and is likely to become an obstacle when the
operator is going to carry out the maintenance operation for the
belt-drive continuously variable transmission which is required to
be frequently maintained, such as for example, a belt change, the
maintenance operation becomes easier and more efficient.
The above and further objects and features of the invention will
more fully be apparent from the following detailed description with
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a four-wheeled utility vehicle
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the four-wheeled utility vehicle of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a right side view of the four-wheeled utility vehicle of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vehicle body frame of the
four-wheeled utility vehicle of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a right seat support frame of the
four-wheeled utility vehicle of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame showing a
state where a right sheet support frame member has been removed
from the four-wheeled utility vehicle of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a vehicle body frame of a
four-wheeled utility vehicle according to a second embodiment of
the present invention; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame, showing a
state where the right sheet support frame member of the
four-wheeled utility vehicle of FIG. 7 is pivoted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described
with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a four-wheeled utility vehicle 1
according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is
a plan view of the four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3
is a right side view of the four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 of FIG.
1. In this embodiment described below, the directions are
referenced from the perspective of a rider (not shown) riding in
the four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 except for specified cases. As
shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the four-wheeled utility vehicle
(hereinafter referred to as a utility vehicle) 1 includes right and
left front wheels 3R and 3L at a front portion of a vehicle body
frame 2 and rear right wheel 4R (left rear wheel is not shown) at a
rear portion of the vehicle body frame 2. A hood 5 is mounted over
the front wheels 3R and 3L. A pair of right and left passenger
seats 6 (driver's seat 6A and assistant driver's seat 6B) are
located in the vicinity of a center in a longitudinal section of a
vehicle body of the utility vehicle 1 behind the hood 5. A seat
separating wall 13 is provided between the left and right passenger
seats 6A and 6B. A transmission operation lever 7 is attached to a
front portion of the seat separating wall 13. The seat separating
wall 13 has a hollow structure and protrudes higher than a seat
surface of the passenger seats 6.
A load-carrying platform 8 is mounted behind the passenger seats 6
so as to extend rearward from a location near a rear portion of the
passenger seats 6 and over the rear wheels R. A cabin frame member
9 extends from right and left sides of a rear portion of the hood 5
to a region behind the passenger seats 6 so as to surround a
passenger riding space in which the passenger seats 6 are mounted.
The cabin frame member 9 is formed of a metal round pipe member and
opens forward and backward, rightward and leftward, and upward. The
cabin frame member 9 serves to protect the passengers and is used
as a mounting member by which a roof or a hood for blocking rain or
sunshine is mounted. It should be noted that the utility vehicle 1
is not equipped with doors or front glass, because an upper limit
of its traveling speed is set lower and the passengers can easily
get in and out of the utility vehicle 1 for the purpose of higher
work efficiency.
An engine unit 10 for driving the utility vehicle 1 is mounted in a
space below the seat separating wall 13. The engine unit 10 is
disposed between right and left seat support frame members 32 and
35 described later (see FIG. 4) right below the passenger seat 6
and at a slightly rear section in the longitudinal direction. The
engine unit 10 includes an engine body 11 having multiple cylinders
and a belt-drive continuously variable transmission (CVT) (belt
converter) 12 mounted to a right side surface of the engine body
11.
A front gear unit (front final reduction gear unit) 15 is coupled
to a front wheel output shaft (not shown) of the engine unit 10
through a front propeller shaft 14 extending substantially in the
longitudinal direction of the utility vehicle 1. The front gear
unit 15 is configured to change a direction of a rotational force,
or the like. A rear gear unit (rear final reduction gear unit) 17
is coupled to a rear wheel output shaft (not shown) of the engine
unit 10 through a rear propeller shaft 16 extending substantially
in the longitudinal direction. The rear gear unit 17 is configured
to change the direction of the rotational force, or the like. Rear
end portions of exhaust pipes 18 and 19 extend rearward from the
cylinders of the engine body 11 and are coupled to a muffler 20
disposed below the load-carrying platform 8.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame 2 of the
four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the
vehicle body frame 2 is mainly formed of metal hollow pipe members
with rectangular cross-sections, and includes a main frame member
21 disposed between the front wheels 3R and 3L and the rear wheels
(i.e. rear right wheel 4R in FIG. 1) to form a floor of the
passenger riding space. A front frame member 22 protrudes forward
from a front end portion of the main frame member 21 and is
configured to support the front gear unit 15. A pair of front masts
24 extend upward from both side portions of a front end of the main
frame member 21. Upper end portions of the right and left front
masts 24 are coupled to each other by a front cross member 25. An
inverted-L shaped hood support frame member 23 is mounted between
the front frame member 22 and the front cross member 25 and is
configured to support the hood 3 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Mounting
bracket members 26 extend vertically upward from right and left
side portions of the cross members 25. The cabin frame member 9
(see FIGS. 1 to 3) is coupled to the mounting bracket members
26.
A rear frame member 30 protrudes rearward from a rear end portion
of the main frame member 21 and is configured to support the rear
gear unit 17 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). A pair of rear masts 27 extend
upward from both side portions of a rear end of the main frame
member 21. Upper end portions of the right and left front masts 27
are coupled to each other by a rear cross member 29. Mounting
bracket members 28 extend vertically upward from right and left
side portions of the rear cross member 29. The cabin frame 9 (see
FIGS. 1 to 3) is coupled to the mounting bracket members 28. A
platform support frame member 31 protrudes horizontally rearward
from the rear cross member 29 and is configured to support the
load-carrying platform 8 (see FIGS. 1 to 3).
The engine unit 10 is mounted to the main frame member 21 at a
center region of the main frame member 21 in a lateral direction
thereof and at a slightly rear region of the main frame member 21
in a longitudinal direction thereof. The engine unit 10 is disposed
in such a manner that the belt-drive CVT 12 is positioned at a
right side surface of the engine body 11. The belt-drive CVT 12 has
a cover 12a attached to the engine body 11 by bolts from the right
so that an internal belt (not shown) is not exposed.
On the left side of the engine unit 10, a pair of L-shaped frame
members 33 and 34 extend vertically upward from the main frame
member 21 and are coupled to the rear masts 27 so as to be spaced
apart from each other. The L-shaped frame members 33 and 34 form a
left seat support frame member 32 that supports the driver seat 6A
(see FIGS. 1 and 2). On the right side of the engine unit 10, a
right seat support frame member 35 is removably mounted on the main
frame member 21 by fastening devices such as bolts B. The right
seat support frame member 35 is configured to support the front
passenger seat 6B (see FIGS. 1 to 3). By removing the bolts B, the
right seat support frame member 35 is movable to the right relative
to the engine unit 10. Since the right seat support frame member 35
is positioned on the right side of the cover 12a of the belt-drive
CVT 12, it will interfere with the cover 12a when the cover 12a is
moved to the right to be removed, and as a result, the cover 12a
cannot be removed.
Since the left seat support frame member 32 is disposed on the left
side of the engine unit 10, the right seat support frame member 35
is disposed on the right side of the engine unit 10, the front
frame member 22 and the hood support frame member 23 are disposed
on the front side of the engine unit 10, and the rear frame member
30 and the platform support frame member 31 are disposed behind the
engine unit 10, the engine unit 10 is surrounded from forward and
rearward, and from rightward and leftward. It should be noted that
the above mentioned frame members forming the vehicle body frame 2
are fastened to each other by welding or the like except for the
right seat support frame member 35.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the right seat support frame member
35 of the four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 of FIG. 1. As shown in
FIG. 5, the right support frame member 35 includes a pair of right
and left inverted-U shaped frame member portions 36 and 37
extending in the longitudinal direction, lower cross frame member
portions 38 and 39 extending in the lateral direction to couple
lower parts of the U-shaped frame member portions 36 and 37, and an
upper cross frame member portion 40 extending in the lateral
direction to couple upper parts of the U-shaped frame member
portions 36 and 37. Plate-shaped bracket members 41 and 43 are
attached to front lower end portions of the U-shaped frame member
portions 36 and 37, and plate-shaped bracket members 42 and 44 are
attached to rear lower end portions of the U-shaped frame member
portions 36 and 37. The bracket members 41, 42, 43, and 44 have
bolt holes 41a, 42a, 43a, and 44a, respectively. A flat bottom
board 45 is coupled to the lower surfaces of the bracket members 41
to 44 so that electric components (not shown) may be mounted on the
bottom board 45. The bottom board 45 has bolt holes (not shown)
corresponding to the bolt holes 41a to 44a of the bracket members
41 to 44.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame 2 showing a
state where the right sheet support frame member 35 has been
removed from the four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 of FIG. 1. As shown
in FIG. 6, bolt holes 21a are formed to respectively correspond to
the bolt holes 41a to 44a of the bracket members 41 to 44 of the
right seat support frame member 35 (see FIG. 5). The main frame
member 21 has an opening S at a location under the right seat
support frame member 35 (see FIG. 4). The bottom board 45 (FIGS. 4
and 5) is placed at the frame member portions defining the opening
S to close the opening S.
In the construction shown in FIG. 4, the operator cannot easily
access the engine unit 10 because the left seat support frame
member 32 and the right seat support frame member 35 are disposed
on the left side and on the right side of the engine unit 10 and
will become an obstacle when the operator is going to carry out the
maintenance operation of the engine unit 10. However, by removing
the bolts B and by removing the right seat support frame member 35
from the main frame member 21, a space is created on the right side
of the engine unit 10. Thus, the operator can access the engine
unit 10 from the right and carry out maintenance operation of the
engine unit 10 (see FIG. 6).
Furthermore, since the right seat support frame member 35 that is
opposite to the belt-drive CVT 12 of the engine unit 10 is
removably mounted by the bolts, the operator can remove the cover
12a of the belt-drive CVT 12 required to be frequently maintained
and can easily carry out maintenance such as changing the belt. In
addition, since the right seat support frame member 35 is removably
mounted to the main frame member 21 by the bolts B, the maintenance
operation performed on the engine unit 10 can be easily carried out
in a simple manner and at a low cost. Whereas the right seat
support frame member 35 has a structure in which the bottom board
45 is welded to the lower end portions of the U-shaped frame member
portions 36 and 37 via the bracket members 41 to 44 as shown in
FIG. 5, the bottom board 45 may alternatively be directly welded to
the lower end portions of the U-shaped frame member portions 36 and
37 without the bracket members 41 to 44.
Embodiment 2
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a vehicle body frame 50 of the
four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 according to a second embodiment of
the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the vehicle
body frame 50, showing a state where a right sheet support frame
member 51 of the four-wheeled utility vehicle 1 of FIG. 7 is
pivoted. In the second embodiment, the same reference numbers as
those of the first embodiment are used to identify the same or
corresponding parts.
As shown in FIG. 7, the right seat support frame member 51 is
mounted onto the main frame member 21 by a pair of hinges 53 to be
pivotable around the hinges 53 on the right side of the engine unit
10. The right seat support frame member 51 includes the pair of
right and left inverted-U-shaped frame member portions 36 and 37
extending in the longitudinal direction, the lower cross frame
member portions 38 and 39 extending in the lateral direction to
couple lower parts of the U-shaped frame member portions 36 and 37,
the upper cross frame member portion 40 extending in the lateral
direction to couple upper parts of the U-shaped frame member
portions 36 and 37, and a side frame member portion 52 extending in
the longitudinal direction to couple front and rear lower end
portions of the right U-shaped frame member 36.
The side frame member portion 52 of the right seat support frame
member 51 is coupled to the main frame member 21 by the pair of
hinges 53. The right seat support frame member 51 is pivotable
around the hinges 53 so as to move away from the engine unit 10.
The plate-shaped bracket members 43 and 44 are mounted to front and
rear lower end portions of the left U-shaped frame member portion
37 of the right seat support frame member 51. The plate-shaped
bracket members 43 and 44 have bolt holes.
As shown in FIG. 8, the bottom board 45 is placed on the main frame
member 21 under the right seat support frame member 51 and is
separable from the right seat support frame member 51. The bottom
board 45 has bolt holes 45a corresponding to the bolt holes of the
bracket members 43 and 44. The bolts B are inserted into the bolt
holes of the bracket members 43 and 44, the bolt holes 45a of the
bottom board 45, and bolt holes of the main frame member 21 to
fasten the right seat support frame member 51 to the main frame
member 21 (see FIG. 7).
In the above construction, the operator can easily move away the
right seat support frame member 51 from the engine unit 10 by
pivoting the right seat support frame member 51 to the right around
the hinges 53. The operator can move the right seat support frame
member 51 in fewer steps and therefore can easily carry out the
maintenance operation.
Whereas in the above described embodiments, the right seat support
frame members 35 and 51 are movable and the left seat support frame
member 32 is fixed, the left seat support frame member 32 may be
movable.
As this invention may be embodied in several forms without
departing from the spirit of essential characteristics thereof, the
present embodiments are therefore illustrative and not restrictive,
since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims
rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that
fall within metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such
metes and bounds thereof are therefore intended to be embraced by
the claims.
* * * * *